Membrane distillation and related technologies workshop

January 15, 2016

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You are cordially invited to attend the ‘Membrane distillation and related technologies workshop’ on January 15, 2016 at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). Flyer of the workshop can be downloaded here.

A number of research groups around Australia are focusing on membrane distillation (MD) research and its related technologies, and their potential as an alternative to reverse osmosis (RO) or in integration with RO or other processes. Given the significant role that desalination and water reuse technologies could play for water security in the future, developing energy-efficient technologies are necessary to drive Australia and global desalination and water reuse plants. As such, the aims of the workshop are to discuss and share current and new MD-based technologies, and to explore innovative approaches to further advance the MD process for a wide range of commercial opportunities. The workshop will bring together Australian researchers and some international experts to present different perspectives of MD and related technologies from fundamental aspects to application-based studies.

This workshop is organised by UTS Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater (CTWW) and Univ. of Wollongong Membrane Filtration Research Group, in collaboration with the Membrane Society of Australasia (MSA), National Centre of Excellence in Desalination Australia (NCEDA), UNSW UNESCO Centre for Membrane Science and Technology and VU Institute for Sustainability and Innovation.

Program:

08:00 – 09:00

Arrival/Registration

09:00 – 09:10

09:10 – 09:15

Welcome remarks

Professor Glenn Wightwick, UTS DVC and VP (Research)

Short welcome message

Dr. Aaron Thornton, MSA president

09:15 – 10:05

Keynote: Progresses in membrane distillation for innovations in industrial productions

Prof. Enrico Drioli, ITM-CNR, University of Calabria, Italy

10:05 – 10:55

Keynote: Developments in membrane distillation & forward osmosis

Prof. Anthony Fane, NTU, Singapore

10:55 – 11:30

Morning tea break/photo session

11:30 – 12:00

Desalination research in Australia – the next ten years

Mr. Neil Palmer, NCEDA, Australia

12:00 – 12:30

Autonomous desalination and other niches for membrane distillation

Prof. Wendell Ela, Murdoch University, Australia

12:30 – 13:00

Application of membrane distillation for seawater and groundwater treatment

Prof. Saravanamathu Vigneswaran/Dr Gayathri Naidu, UTS, Australia

13:00 – 14:30

Lunch break/lab tour (for those who are interested)

14:30 – 15:00

Enhancing performance of submerged membrane distillation

Prof. Vicki Chen, UNSW, Australia

15:00 – 15:30

Application of membrane distillation to industry waste water recycling

Prof. Mikel Duke, Victoria University, Australia

15:30 – 16:00

Recent advances in membrane distillation module designs

Dr. Lijo Francis, KAUST, Saudi Arabia

16:00 – 16:30

Afternoon tea break

16:30 – 17:00

Strategic role of membrane distillation for resource recovery

Prof. Long Nghiem, UoW, Australia

17:00 – 17:30

Mixed-matrix nanocomposite membranes for treatment of RO brine from coal seam gas produced water by AGMD

A/Prof. Ho Kyong Shon/Dr Leonard Tijing, UTS, Australia

17:30 – 18:00

Free discussion/Close session

Who will be interested to attend? – Students (HDR and undergraduate) and researchers from academy and industry working on membrane distillation, other membrane contactors and related technologies as well as those working in other membrane separation processes or membrane technology in general. The speakers are all working on diverse fields of membrane processes, and this workshop presents a perfect venue for networking and discussions with prominent professors and researchers.

Registration:

Deadline: Jan 4th 2016 (Seats are only limited to 50, register now to secure yours).